Gardening with Indigenous Plants
Indigenous Plant Use
Identification & Control of Common Weeds
| Botanical Name: | Indigofera australis synonym: Anil australis |
| Common Name: | australian indigo, austral indigo |
| Sold As: | Tube ($2.00) |
| Plant Type(s): | Low Growing Shrub (30 cm to 1 m), Medium Shrub (1 to 2 m), Bird Attracting, Butterfly Attracting, Insect Attracting, Popular (bulk) |
| Growing Conditions: | Full Sun, Partial Shade, Shade
Well Drained |
| Size (HxW): | 2 m x 2 m |
| Foliage: | Blue fern-like leaves to 10 cm long. Leaflets 11-25, oblong with rounded end, small point on tip, 10-40 mm x 5-9 mm. |
| Flowers: | Sprays of mauve pea flowers to 15 cm long in leaf axils, September-December |
| General Comments: | A very floriferous shrub with branches bowed down by weight of flowers. Plants can be pruned fairly heavily to make a more compact and leafy shape but pruning into old wood should be avoided. Plants will withstand extended dry conditions once established but adequate watering improves appearance. Can be grown as an undershrub, looks good mass planted. Tolerates light frosts. Both food for caterpillars and nectar for butterflies. Like all legumes, it has symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in structures called root nodules. |
 Further Information: | |
| Plant Propagation: | Plants usually produce plentiful seed and propagation from seed is relatively easy following pre-treatment to break the physical dormancy provided by the impervious seed coat. Pre-treatment can be carried out by abrasion or by the use of boiling water (further details can be found in under the “Propagation” tab of the “Pea Family” page). Cuttings should also be successful. |
